The Development and Validation of the Technology-Supported Reflection Inventory

Reflection is an often addressed design goal in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research. An increasing number of artefacts for reflection have been developed in recent years. However, evaluating if and how an interactive technology helps a user reflect is still complex. This makes it difficult to compare artefacts (or prototypes) for reflection, impeding future design efforts. To address this issue, we developed the \emph{Technology-Supported Reflection Inventory} (TSRI), which is a scale that evaluates how effectively a system supports reflection. We first created a list of possible scale items based on past work in defining reflection. The items were then reviewed by experts. Next, we performed exploratory factor analysis to reduce the scale to its final length of nine items. Subsequently, we confirmed test-retest validity of our instrument, as well as its construct validity. The TSRI enables researchers and practitioners to compare prototypes designed to support reflection.Comment: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '21), May 8--13, 2021, Yokohama, Japa

How Instructional Data Physicalisation Fosters Reflection in Personal Informatics

The ever-increasing number of devices quantifying our lives offers a perspective of high awareness of one\u27s wellbeing, yet it remains a challenge for personal informatics (PI) to effectively support data-based reflection. Effective reflection is recognised as a key factor for PI technologies to foster wellbeing. Here, we investigate whether building tangible representations of health data can offer engaging and reflective experiences. We conducted a between-subjects study where n = 60 participants explored their immediate blood pressure data in relation to medical norms. They either used a standard mobile app, built a data representation from LEGO\uae bricks based on instructions, or completed a free-form brick build. We found that building with instructions fostered more comparison and using bricks fostered focused attention. The free-form condition required extra time to complete, and lacked usability. Our work shows that designing instructional physicalisation experiences for PI is a means of improving engagement and understanding of personal data

Revisiting Reflection in HCI: Four Design Resources for Technologies that Support Reflection

Reflection is a commonly addressed design goal in commercial systems and in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research. Yet, it is still unclear what tools are at the disposal of designers who want to build systems that support reflection. Understanding the design space of reflection support systems and the interaction techniques that can foster reflection is necessary to enable building technologies that contribute to the users\u27 well-being. In order to gain additional insight into how interactive artefacts foster reflection, we investigated past research prototypes and reflection-supporting smartphone applications (apps). Through a structured literature review and an analysis of app reviews, we constructed four design resources for reflection: temporal perspective, conversation, comparison and discovery. We also identified design patterns in past digital artefacts that implement the resources. Our work constitutes intermediate-level knowledge that is intended to inspire future technologies that better support reflection

MagiBricks: Fostering Intergenerational Connectedness in Distributed Play with Smart Toy Bricks

Playing together is crucial to the unique and invaluable bond between grandparents and grandchildren. However, co-located interactions and play can be limited due to time, distance, or pandemic-related restrictions. To facilitate distributed play, we developed MagiBricks, a system comprised of 3D-printed smart toy bricks and baseplates that provide feedback regarding their placement. The familiarity and appeal of toy bricks to both older adults and children make them ideal for intergenerational play. We conducted a within-subjects study with six grandparent-grandchildren pairs. We compared the interactions and perceived connectedness of the pairs while playing over a distance with either i) MagiBricks or ii) identical regular toy bricks. We found that MagiBricks affected communication dynamics, role taking, nature of play, and perception of connectedness during playtime compared to regular bricks, and were unanimously preferred. We contribute design implications for future systems leveraging (smart) tangibles and fostering intergenerational connectedness

MagiBricks: Fostering Intergenerational Connectedness in Distributed Play with Smart Toy Bricks

Playing together is crucial to the unique and invaluable bond between grandparents and grandchildren. However, co-located interactions and play can be limited due to time, distance, or pandemic-related restrictions. To facilitate distributed play, we developed MagiBricks, a system comprised of 3D-printed smart toy bricks and baseplates that provide feedback regarding their placement. The familiarity and appeal of toy bricks to both older adults and children make them ideal for intergenerational play. We conducted a within-subjects study with six grandparent-grandchildren pairs. We compared the interactions and perceived connectedness of the pairs while playing over a distance with either i) MagiBricks or ii) identical regular toy bricks. We found that MagiBricks affected communication dynamics, role taking, nature of play, and perception of connectedness during playtime compared to regular bricks, and were unanimously preferred. We contribute design implications for future systems leveraging (smart) tangibles and fostering intergenerational connectedness

VeatherReflect: Employing Weather as Qualitative Representation of Stress Data in Virtual Reality

While personal trackers can collect a vast amount of information about their users, the representation of such data has remained unchanged, with bar charts being the most dominant. However, to build systems that facilitate reflection and support well-being, it is crucial to explore alternative ways of representation. Thus, we designed VeatherReflect, a VR application that uses weather metaphors to illustrate tracker stress scores, aiming to encourage users to reflect on their stress data. In a pre-study, we mapped stress scores to weather states. We then compared VeatherReflect with a standard visualisation of stress data presented in VR. VeatherReflect increased participant engagement with personal data and stress awareness. Participants reported reflective insights for stress-reducing behaviour. We contribute findings on how virtual weather as a metaphor for stress can support reflection. We discuss design recommendations for VR applications aiming to facilitate a deeper understanding of complex personal data through engaging qualitative experiences

How Instructional Data Physicalisation Fosters Reflection in Personal Informatics

The ever-increasing number of devices quantifying our lives offers a perspective of high awareness of one's wellbeing, yet it remains a challenge for personal informatics (PI) to effectively support data-based reflection. Effective reflection is recognised as a key factor for PI technologies to foster wellbeing. Here, we investigate whether building tangible representations of health data can offer engaging and reflective experiences. We conducted a between-subjects study where n = 60 participants explored their immediate blood pressure data in relation to medical norms. They either used a standard mobile app, built a data representation from LEGO® bricks based on instructions, or completed a free-form brick build. We found that building with instructions fostered more comparison and using bricks fostered focused attention. The free-form condition required extra time to complete, and lacked usability. Our work shows that designing instructional physicalisation experiences for PI is a means of improving engagement and understanding of personal data

Literature Reviews in HCI: A Review of Reviews

This paper analyses Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) literature reviews to provide a clear conceptual basis for authors, reviewers, and readers. HCI is multidisciplinary and various types of literature reviews exist, from systematic to critical reviews in the style of essays. Yet, there is insufficient consensus of what to expect of literature reviews in HCI. Thus, a shared understanding of literature reviews and clear terminology is needed to plan, evaluate, and use literature reviews, and to further improve review methodology. We analysed 189 literature reviews published at all SIGCHI conferences and ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI) up until August 2022. We report on the main dimensions of variation: (i) contribution types and topics; and (ii) structure and methodologies applied. We identify gaps and trends to inform future meta work in HCI and provide a starting point on how to move towards a more comprehensive terminology system of literature reviews in HCI

SelVReflect: A Guided VR Experience Fostering Reflection on Personal Challenges

Reflecting on personal challenges can be difficult. Without encouragement, the reflection process often remains superficial, thus inhibiting deeper understanding and learning from past experiences. To allow people to immerse themselves in and deeply reflect on past challenges, we developed SelVReflect, a VR experience which offers active voice-based guidance and a space to freely express oneself. SelVReflect was developed in an iterative design process (N=5) and evaluated in a user study with N=20 participants. We found that SelVReflect enabled participants to approach their challenge and its (emotional) components from different perspectives and to discover new relationships between these components. By making use of the spatial possibilities in VR, participants developed a better understanding of the situation and of themselves. We contribute empirical evidence of how a guided VR experience can support reflection. We discuss opportunities and design requirements for guided VR experiences that aim to foster deeper reflection

Quantifying Meaningful Interaction: Developing the Eudaimonic Technology Experience Scale

Recent research has shown that users increasingly seek meaning in technologies and that eudaimonic user experience (UX) is part of everyday encounters with technology. Yet, to date, there is no validated means to assess eudaimonic properties in interactive artefacts. We conceptualised, developed and validated a six-item questionnaire for measuring eudaimonic properties of technologies—the Eudaimonic Technology Experience Scale (ETES). Our scale includes two factors, which describe what aspects of a eudaimonic experience can be supported by technology: eudaimonic goals and self-knowlege. We consulted work in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), psychology and philosophy to gather an initial set of concepts that could contribute to eudaimonic UX. We then built the scale based on expert interviews and exploratory factor analysis and verified its quality in a number of tests (confirmatory factor analysis, reliability and validity checks). ETES provides a standardised tool for identifying eudaimonic qualities in interactive systems and allows for rapidly comparing prototypes